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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27075019">Pick Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyLiliy/pseuds/GreyLiliy'>GreyLiliy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 - Peter Parker [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fantastic Four, Spider-Man - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Demonic Possession, Family, Gen, Identity Issues, Whumptober 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 01:13:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,408</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27075019</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyLiliy/pseuds/GreyLiliy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“So three members of the Fantastic Four and a random intern were kidnapped,” Ben said. “That makes sense.”</p><p>It did if it was three members of the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Parker/Johnny Storm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 - Peter Parker [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975432</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>177</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pick Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <em>Whumptober 2020!<br/>Prompt No 2. IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY<br/>“Pick Who Dies” | Collars | Kidnapped</em>
</p><p> </p><p>True confession: Like 80% of my Fantastic Four knowledge comes from the live action movie with Chris Evans. And I only saw the first one. Lol. The other 18% comes from reading comics with Johnny Storm &amp; Peter together in them. The final 2% comes from the Fantastic Four Parody in the Venture Brothers with Dr. Impossible.</p><p>So uh, this is definitely my first time writing for them and I hope I did okay. And for the record, I like Ben. I like him a lot. (*whisper* Forgive me.)</p><p>This story is more Johnny!Whump than Peter!Whump, but it’s Peter’s POV so it still counts for my prompts. And while I did try to get all three into the story, it’s definitely heavy toward the “Pick Who Dies” portion (which is kinda sad ‘cause I love collars). Thank you for reading and enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The collar was chained to the floor, made of a material that was overkill for a “regular” person, but just enough to keep Peter captive. The aliens that had kidnapped him from his apartment had no clue of his enhanced abilities, but had been prepared for them anyway—The “Parker Luck” struck again.</p><p>Fully extended, Peter still hunched over and strained to keep himself upright with his hands bound behind his back and knees bent as his captors forced him to kneel.</p><p>To his left, he saw Susan Storm, Reed Richards, and Ben Grimm in equally strong restraints and dressed down in civilian clothes.</p><p>Maybe Peter’s captives knew exactly what he was capable of—which was an even more concerning fact.</p><p>“Does anyone know who the guy on the end of the row is?” Ben asked, looking down the line. His height gave him an easy view of the other three held hostage. “Because he doesn’t look like Johnny.”</p><p>“Peter Parker,” Reed said. He gave Peter a once over with a scrutinizing gaze, also trying to figure out why the fourth member held captive was Peter and not the usual fourth member of the Fantastic Four. “He interned for me once. I had to fire him for telling secrets to Spider-Man.”</p><p>“I’m never living that down, am I?” Peter asked, shifting. “You think you can trust a guy.”</p><p>“Are you speaking about yourself or Spider-Man?” Sue asked. She huffed and closed her eyes, scrunching her face closed. “Though we might have a bigger problem on our hands—my force field isn’t working, Reed.”</p><p>“I can stretch, but I’m just bunching in on myself,” Reed said. “What about you, Ben?”</p><p>“Nope. Stuck as you all.”</p><p>Peter twisted, but the collar around his throat halted the movement. It was tight and flush against his skin, leaving no room for give. Every swallow and word hurt as he pressed against the metal and his throat expanded. The temptation to put his full strength into breaking the collar crossed his mind, but if The Thing couldn’t break it, that didn’t bode well for Peter.</p><p>“So three members of the Fantastic Four and a random intern were kidnapped,” Ben said. “That makes sense.”</p><p>It did if it was three members of the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man.</p><p>Four people who mattered to—</p><p>“It is time for you to make a choice!”</p><p>“For the last time! I don’t want anything to do with your weird ritual!”</p><p>“Ah, there’s Johnny,” Ben said. “I guess the set is complete.”</p><p>The group did their best to look up with the collars keeping their heads down. They were able to see a pair of legs in stylish blue jeans dragged forward by a squad of individuals wearing heavy boots. They shoved Johnny forward.</p><p>Peter strained to get his head up enough to see Johnny’s entire face. The man was also restrained, though his arms were tied in his front. The guards held him at either arm, but he looked all right.</p><p>“What’s my family doing here?” Johnny asked, snapping his head to the side. He didn’t look at the guards, but instead up higher at something out of Peter’s range of vision. “Is this part of that bullshit you were talking about earlier?”</p><p>“Yes,” a voice said—the same one that said Johnny had to make a choice. “For the spell to work, it requires the sacrifice of a family member. Be gracious we are allowing you the choice of who dies.”</p><p>“And I already told you I don’t want anything to do with your spell!” Johnny screamed back. “I’m not playing host to whatever demon you’re trying to sacrifice! Let us go!”</p><p>“I would really like to know what is going on,” Ben said. He looked down the line and up at Johnny. “Because we went to bed. And now we’re here. And there is talk of demons and we’re all kidnapped and I don’t even know who you all are!”</p><p>Peter winced as Ben’s voice grew into an angry yell. The shout filled the room, drawing the guard’s attention to the four in a line.</p><p>“I’m with Ben,” Susan said. “Johnny, do you know them?”</p><p>“No! I’m the same as you guys!” Johnny shouted back. “I was on my way to meet up with Spider-Man in our usual spot, and then bam! I’m waking up here on another planet with a bunch of creeps talking about being the new host for their demon lord.”</p><p>“Johnny Storm, you are a man made of fire and the perfect vessel,” the voice said once more. “We have been watching you for years and have made our choice, now you must make yours.”</p><p>“I’m not choosing a family member to die!”</p><p>“If you would like to forfeit the choice of deciding who will be allowed to live once our lord returns, that is also within your rights,” the voice said. “Though we suggest you think carefully, because one will die within the hour.”</p><p>“You’re not killing anyone!”</p><p>Johnny roared as his flame ignited his entire body. The guards did not stir or move. Their grip didn’t lesson—if anything, they looked annoyed at his outrage.</p><p>“They’re fire resistant,” Reed said. He huffed and his restraints shifted as the man twisted. “It looks like they’re prepared for everything.”</p><p>“We need a plan, Reed,” Sue whispered. “We’ve got an unknown enemy, a civilian hostage for some reason, and Johnny might be possessed by a demon.”</p><p>“That’s a new one for us, isn’t it?” Ben asked. “We handle aliens and the cosmos all the time, but I feel like demon possession is a new one.”</p><p>“The resurrection of our lord will happen regardless of what you say,” the voice said, ignoring the chatter of the captives. “It is tradition for our demon lord to keep the family of his host in good standing out of respect for stealing his body, but one of them must be sacrificed. Make your choice, Johnny Storm, or we will make it for you.”</p><p>Peter felt looked down the row again: Johnny’s sister, Johnny’s brother-in-law, and Johnny’s honorary brother.</p><p>One of the four was not like the others. The aliens that had kidnapped them all for the ritual had only taken three of Johnny’s family members. Why had they captured Peter? Had there been some mistake?</p><p>Would that mean if he picked Peter the ritual wouldn’t work?</p><p>Peter shook his head. He didn’t want to die and Johnny didn’t need to lose a friend or a family member. Peter would figure out how he got caught up in the Fantastic Four later. He had to concentrate on how to get out of the restraints and free everyone before they were killed.</p><p>“Let them go! Right now!” Johnny screamed at the voice. Peter wished he could raise his head higher and see who was threatening them. If he pooled all his strength, maybe he could break the chains and take one of them hostage! Johnny continued to wriggle and struggle, his fire still roaring and filling the room with heat. “You are not killing any of them!”</p><p>“Place our vessel in position,” the voice said. “It appears as though he is forfeiting his choice.”</p><p>The guards dragged Johnny across the room and snapped a collar around his neck with the same chain as the one that bound Peter and the others. It was long enough to allow Johnny to stand up straight, but strong enough to keep him trapped on the ground as he tried to fly away, tugging on the chain.</p><p>On the floor beneath him, there were markings etched into the floor. A loud snap filled the room and the markings glowed, showing off how they indented into the ground.</p><p>“Kill the monster for the sacrifice,” the voice said. “It’s the biggest eyesore and I’m curious if it does indeed bleed.”</p><p>“Hey!” Ben shouted. “You come down here and say that to my face!”</p><p>“Don’t touch him!” Johnny screamed. He started pulling harder at his restraints, the metal turning red from the sheer heat of it but they did not melt. The guards that had brought Johnny into the room headed toward Ben, pulling weapons out from their belt—sharp weapons that looked like they could easily cut through metal and rock. “Ben!”</p><p>They couldn’t kill Ben.</p><p>Johnny adored Ben.</p><p>Peter’s heartbeat picked up and his brain kept repeating “You’re not family. It won’t work. It’s got to be you.”</p><p>He couldn’t let Johnny lose his family.</p><p>“Pick me,” Peter said. He shouted at Johnny, pulling at collar and chain at the same time. It pressed into his throat, choking him but he shouted. “Tell them you pick me!”</p><p>“Parker?” Reed asked. “What are you doing?”</p><p>“They can’t do this to Johnny,” Peter said again. “They can’t kill Ben for him. He should pick me.”</p><p>“No, don’t say that!” Johnny yelled back. He gathered fire in his hand and threw it toward the guards. It crashed against them, but fizzled out on contact and utterly useless against their heat resistance. Their poise kept them locked on the ground. Johnny growled under his breath, but looked at Peter. “Don’t be a self sacrificing idiot! You’re family, too and I can’t lose you either!”</p><p>“The choice is already made, Spider-Man,” the voice said. Peter jerked in the hold. The voice had said “Spider-Man.” Not Peter Parker. They really had been watching Johnny’s every move without their notice. “Be quiet and watch.”</p><p>“When I get out of here you’re going to regret this!” Peter shouted back. He pushed his muscles and gritted his teeth as he tried to rip the restraints free. No matter what he did or how he pushed. His heart pounding in his chest and his instincts roaring to get free—the restraints did not budge. “Don’t do this!”</p><p>The strike of metal on rock silenced the room.</p><p>A thud hit the ground and blood dripped onto the ground, trailing down the incline toward the indents in the markings. The blood slowly filled it and Sue screamed in grief, her voice raw and hoarse.</p><p>Johnny’s flame dropped and his arms hung limply at his side.</p><p>Peter closed his eyes and dropped his head. The chain went slack and pooled under him as he leaned all the way forward and put his head on the ground.</p><p>“Let it begin.”</p><p>A deep chanting filled the room in a language Peter didn’t recognize. Sue’s sobbing and Johnny’s heavy, panicked breathing filled his ears. When the chanting stopped, Johnny screamed.</p><p>A blast of heat filled the room, knocking Peter back until the chain went taught and nearly choked him with the collar when his head was knocked back.</p><p>“How wonderful.” The voice that spoke belonged to Johnny, but the words and tone were not his. “I finally have a vessel with a natural inclination toward fire.”</p><p>Peter’s eyes rolled up to see Johnny’s body moving without him. A deep red had overtaken his blue eyes and his face twisted with an unnatural smile. The demon reached up and touched the collar—it shattered and broke to the floor. He left the circle, approaching the three chained to the ground.</p><p>“And here is the family. Johnny has such wonderful thoughts about all of you,” the demon said. He held a hand to Ben’s still body and put his palm flat on the orange rock skin. “Thank you dearly for bringing me into the world, Ben.”</p><p>“Don’t touch him, you monster!” Sue screamed. “And get out of Johnny’s body!”</p><p>“That is not possible,” the demon said. He stood and walked down the line. “I’m your new brother now, sister.”</p><p>“You are not, Johnny,” Reed declared. “Don’t you ever call her that.”</p><p>“The opinions of the brother-in-law shall be ignored,” the demon said, laughing. The cadence of it sounded just like Johnny and made Peter grind his teeth together. How dare he steal Johnny’s laugh along with his body. “I look forward to arguing with you in the future.”</p><p>The demon stopped in front of Peter, kneeling in front of him. Red eyes stared at him, embedded in Johnny’s face.</p><p>“Nothing to day?” the demon asked. He reached up and touched Peter’s cheek. “I imagine the lover would have the most curses for me.”</p><p>Lover?</p><p>“Ah, that’s right,” the demon said. He leaned forward and kissed Peter before nipping his lip. “Johnny never told you himself.”</p><p>Peter head-butted the demon as hard as he could.</p><p>It knocked the man flat on his back and he apologized to Johnny for bruising his face.</p><p>“Oh, it’s no wonder he was in love with you,” the demon said. He sat up and licked Johnny’s lip. “Now I’m doubly glad they chose Ben over you.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Peter said. He growled and jerked the chain harder. “Shut up!”</p><p>“That’s it,” the demon said. “Get the anger out of your system. We’ve got long lives ahead of us, and you wouldn’t want to let it simmer the entire time—it’s bad for you.”</p><p>The demon stood and brushed off his clothes. He stretched and walked away from them all. “I think I’ll have a change of clothes before relocating them to their new quarters. They can sit and think about the future until then.”</p><p>“As you wish, my lord.”</p><p>The demon left the room along with the guards. The lights in the room dimmed, leaving Peter alone with Sue and Reed.</p><p>“You’re Spider-Man?” Reed asked. Peter nodded. His voice caught in his throat. “Did Johnny know?”</p><p>“Not for long,” Peter said. He could still see the look on Johnny’s face when he realized that the Peter Parker he disliked so much was the man he admired. “But he knew.”</p><p>“The demon didn’t lie about that part,” Sue said. Her breath shook as she inhaled. “Johnny’s been in love with Spider-Man for a long time, even when he couldn’t admit it to himself or denied it.”</p><p>Peter bit his lip. “I didn’t know.”</p><p>Damn that demon.</p><p>How dare he take so much? How dare he hurt Johnny and his family?</p><p>And Peter was a part of that family.</p><p>He’d protect it.</p><p>Peter smacked his head into the ground and screamed, forcing his arms apart until the restraints snapped. His arms bled from where the shackles had dug in, but his hands were steady when he reached up and took hold of the collar.</p><p>He was Spider-Man.</p><p>He would get Johnny back.</p>
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